1. Field of the Invention
The technical scope of the invention is that of devices enabling the ignition of an explosive charge or pyrotechnic composition.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known devices are implemented namely to ignite the explosive charges in splinter-generating warheads or shaped charges (generating a dart or slug). Similarly, in splinter-generating charges, it is sometimes necessary for an angular sector to be ignited so as to orient the cone. This angular sector depends on the focusing required.
Generally speaking, ignition devices implement at least one ignition component such as a detonator or squib. These components are well known to somebody skilled in the art. According to the technology used they comprise, for example, a hot wire, a resistor bridge or semiconductor bridge (known as an SCB) which communicates energy to a flame-producing or detonating pyrotechnic composition when an electrical current passes through it.
Today, within the field of warheads, multi-mode heads are very much sought after, that is to say those able to generate splinters, a shaped charge jet or explosively-formed slug according to operational requirements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,663 thus describes a multi-function head whose ignition device comprises an axial detonator and a crown of peripheral detonators. All the detonators are connected to ignition means by separate wire connections. Depending on the detonators activated, a coherent dart or projection of splinters is obtained.
The ignition device thus defined is both complicated and costly to implement since it requires the assembly of the different detonators onto a support that must be precisely positioned with respect to the charge to ensure the desired effect.
It is also axially cumbersome and requires a wire connection to be made which is also cumbersome.